YOUR letter, enclosing one addressed to that light of our eyes by the Kilaadâr of Bâdâmy,* has been received, and the particulars repre­sented therein have become manifest. You must give orders to the country people* to be vigilant and careful. You, too, must conduct yourself with caution. We enclose a plan, on paper, of the manner in which your army is to encamp: let this be copied on parchment, and let your army be always encamped agreeably thereto.

It is to be regretted, that the plan, here spoken of, has not been preserved, along with the letter referring to it, as it would have illustrated the Sultan’s ideas on the particular branch of tactics in question, better than any other document that has hitherto appeared. It is, no doubt, probable that the Futhûl Mûjâhideen would throw considerable light on the subject.*

It is remarkable, that in the foregoing short letter, the Sultan, though, in general, sparing of such proofs of kindness, applies no less than three different expressions of endearment to Bûrhânûddeen; whom, in the first place, he styles Noor-chushm (light of my eyes), in another Saadut-nishân (marked for happi­ness), and lastly, Burkhoar-dâr (equivalent to darling). These endearing epithets can hardly be supposed, in the instance of Tippoo Sultan, to have proceeded from genuine affection or attachment; and may, therefore, perhaps, be more safely referred, either to some temporary caprice or fit of good humour; or, otherwise, to some political consideration, which might have suggested to him, at the moment, the expediency of assuming a more conciliatory manner towards his brother-in-law, than was probably usual with him.